George T. Bagby State Park, Ft Gaines, Georgia

Located on the shore of beautiful Lake Eufaula, the state park near Ft Gaines has cottages right on the lake, a nice boat dock at the lodge, motel rooms, a swimming pool, hiking trails, and a very nice marina in a protected cove.

We like to go down for lunch and sit on the deck overlooking the lake to eat and watch boats on the lake.

The lodge has a dining room, convention meeting rooms, boat dock, and gift shop.

Huggin' Molly's

Are there any ice cream shops left - why yes, there are!

This building was once the town drugstore.

Now a full restaurant in a building full of antiquities.

An old fashioned soda shop with a 3 page dessert menu - also serves awesome lunches and dinners.

Two of the house specials - On the left "Good Golly Miss Molly" - chocolate brownie with homemade vanilla ice cream topped with real whipping cream, a marchino cherry and hot fudge sauce.

On the right, a "Blonde Molly" - same as above only with blond brownie and caramel sauce.

This is a half order of each. YUM

The name of the place is "Huggin Molly's" and it is located in Abbeyville, Alabama.

Okenefenokee "The Land of Trembling Earth"

Chesser Homestead. The family lived in the swamp for 3 generations, surviving on what they could trap and grow and harvest for money (turpentine, honey, skins). Some family members are still employed by the park department.

Even on a somewhat cool day, we had enough sunshine to entice some alligators to come out to sun themselves.

Cypress knees....no one knows what their function is. They never grow into Cypress trees, and it doesn't hurt the tree if they are cut off.

The observation tower at the end of the boardwalk on Chesser Island.

The southeast side of the Okefenokee is partly prairie with large lakes in the middle. The prairie is the result of a forest fire burning the forests of the swamp in the 1950's.

Miles of boardwalks allow visitors to see the amazing biodiversity of the swamp.

The 350,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge that is the Okefenokee is mostly protected from any intervention by man. Even forest fires, which are part of the natural evolution of the park, are allowed to burn. In 2007, only the buildings in the Stephen Foster State Park were protected from the fire.

A forest fire in April-May of 2007 burned nearly 90% of the swamp. The trees grow on up to 15 feet of peat moss. When the peat starts burning it undermines the trees, and the trees that aren't burnt often fall. It looked like a tornado had been through this part of the swamp.

Walter George Locks and Dam - Lake Eufaula

Finally a day we can take the motorcycle out!

The lake is really full this spring.

Turkey vulture looking for lunch.